Filling The Void
by MurasakiYasu
Summary: Neither of them have their hearts in the relationship when Sakura decides to break it off. She has found real love and now it's Naruto's turn. NaruSaku then NARUSASU mentions of SakuIno. Main pairing NarutoXSasuke. Oneshot.


Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the affiliated characters or settings, they are the property of Masashi Kishimoto. I also do not own any of the amazing songs featured/mentioned they are the property of their respective artists (see below). No copyright infringement is intended and I do not profit in any way from this story.

Summary: Neither of them have their hearts in the relationship, when Sakura breaks it off. InoSaku/SakuIno, NaruSasu/SasuNaru

A/N: This is the sequel of 'Taking A Chance' and 'Hiding In Plain Sight'. I was originally going to write this as a whole story but since I have other full length ones on the go I decided against it. Instead it will be a series of one-shots.

Songs: The song they sing is What If We Could - Blue October (featured in Taking A Chance)

Key: -0- = break in time or perpective

* * *

"See ya, Sasuke-kun!" called Ino.

Sasuke nodded as the other band members filed out. Kiba backed the bands white van out of Sasuke's garage so that Shikamaru could get in with his bass while Neji climbed into the passenger seat. Ino jumped on her skateboard and headed down the driveway after the van harassing Kiba who ended up lurching the van forwards to psych her out.

Sasuke gave a sigh of relief as he closed the door.

"That glad to be rid of us, huh?"

Sasuke did his best to hide his shock but he thought it probably still showed, "Why are you still here?" He didn't realise Naruto could be as quiet as he had been a moment ago.

"What's wrong with you recently?"

"Don't answer my question with another."

"What's wrong?" repeated Naruto stubbornly, concern shining in his impossibly blue eyes.

"Nothing. Isn't your girlfriend waiting for you?"

"She can wait. Look, either you tell me what crawled up your ass or I beat it out of you!" Naruto declared, his hot temper getting the better of him as he pointed at Sasuke with his fist.

Sasuke sighed heavily, "I'm not in the mood for this Naruto."

Naruto blanched; Sasuke was _never_ 'not in the mood' to pick a fight with him! He also rarely called him Naruto, especially when he had just been insulted. Naruto was beyond confused, his best friend was being even more emo than usual (and that was saying something). Sasuke had barely said a word all night and his singing had been less heartfelt than usual.

Sasuke was the frontman of their rock band, Hiding In Plain Sight and was admired and lusted after by the entire female population of Konoha University where most of the band members were currently studying. They were quite a popular group really. Kiba played drums with his usual vigour, Shikamaru was on bass and the second most popular member of the band, Neji, played a variety of instruments but most commonly electric violin and guitar. Naruto himself followed up with lead guitar and was nearly as popular as Neji. The basis of the group had been formed way back in high school when Kiba and Naruto had decided to drive their neighbours mad and had roped Shikamaru into the deal. But the problem had been that none of them were very talented singers. At college Naruto had met the solution to their problem; the musical genius with the most gorgeous voice he had ever heard; Uchiha Sasuke. It had taken a lot for Naruto to finally wear the stoic Uchiha down and force him to perform but it had done both Sasuke and the band a world of good especially as he had brought the filthy rich and equally talented Neji with him to bring something a bit different to their music.

Naruto shook his head, "I don't understand you."

"Don't try," came Sasuke's short reply.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Sasuke looked him in the eye for the first time that evening, "Just leave, yeah Naruto?"

Naruto stared into those dark eyes that he thought he knew so well. Sometimes he just couldn't read Sasuke. He had that same look in his eye as he did when he was on stage, that look that made his eyes grow deeper and more mysterious. It was another feature of Sasuke that had made Naruto determined to have him in the band, it made him almost... alluring. And the crowd liked that. But tonight there was something different, the depth was there but it was slightly glazed. Naruto didn't like it, it made him feel uncomfortable.

"Whatever," he muttered pushing past Sasuke and pulling the front door open more violently than was necessary.

Naruto heard Sasuke close the door behind him and click the lock. As he made his way along the garden path to the adjoining garage where he'd parked his bike, Naruto bit gently into his lip. They would need to sort this out sooner or later. Sasuke's demeanour had been slowly deteriorating recently and Naruto desperately wanted to know the cause. He knew Sasuke's brother was out of the country again on business so the teen was home alone for another few months but he had a feeling it was more than that; Itachi's scarce company had never bothered Sasuke before, in fact Sasuke preferred his privacy. So why was he acting so strangely?

In the garage stood two of Naruto's most prized possessions. Well Sakura wasn't a possession, she was more like the force that held him together, Naruto honestly didn't think he would have survived all those years without her. She was his most trusted friend and everything a girlfriend should be: loving, beautiful, intelligent, understanding... well unless she was angry, then he sometimes needed his other 'baby' as a getaway vehicle. Naruto's most prized possession along with his guitar was his motorbike with it's vivid orange paint-job.

Sakura was standing in front of his bike but... she wasn't wearing her helmet. Naruto looked at her for a moment, confused.

"You can't ride with your roller-blades on," he pointed out waving at her feet.

"I know that, Naruto..."

"Then why...?" he asked, peering at her in the dark of the garage.

"I'm not going to be riding with you anymore because... I'm breaking up with you."

Naruto felt his jaw slacken. He could almost hear the crashing noises as his happy little world fell to pieces.

"I... I don't understand."

"Oh Naruto!" Sakura skated closer and took his hand in both of hers, squeezing it tightly. "Please don't take this badly! It's just... something we need to do."

"How can I possibly take this well?" asked Naruto shaking his hand from hers and stepping away. "And don't say 'we' because this is something _you_ are doing, not me! I thought we were happy!"

Sakura looked at him with tears shining in her green eyes.

"Naruto, come on, please... be honest with me here," she began. "You and I both know we aren't what a couple should be. We are best friends and that won't change, not ever! But this isn't love! We've supported each other for long enough and I was happy to kid myself, to think that this was how it should be, but it's not! Someone recently opened my eyes to that."

"So there's someone else?"

"You don't need me... but there's someone who really does! And... and there's someone that needs you too! I can't be selfish any longer, because it would be selfish of me to keep hold of you when there is someone who is aching and incomplete-"

"I don't understand this at all! God dammit!" shouted Naruto tugging at blond locks with clenched fingers and turning away. He breathed heavily for a moment, pacing back and forth before he walked right up to Sakura, "Tell me who the hell needs me and why the _hell_ I should care! Huh?"

Sakura leaned back a little from Naruto who was an intimidating figure in this light. Her eyes flicked from one side to the other as he glared at her. She mentally rebuked herself, well what had she expected? Break up with her long term boyfriend and have him take it well? No, she knew that wouldn't happen... but she needed to be careful with her words.

She swallowed and looked him dead in the eye. Sakura was a strong and stubborn girl and Naruto knew it well. She gave him a stern but gentle look that slowly calmed him. When his stance had finally relaxed a little Sakura looked pensively towards the door leading from to garage into the house.

"I hate to think of him all alone in there," she whispered softly.

Naruto's eyes widened, trained on Sakura. Her visible eye slowly turned to locate him as she glided easily backwards on her blades.

"See you at college on Monday, Naruto..."

Naruto watched silently as his now _ex_-girlfriend skated down the long driveway. When she reached the pavement his eyes widened in recognition as a blonde-haired girl stepped from behind the pillar of the gateway. Ino embraced his pink-haired ex in a long hug. When they finally separated Sakura turned and skated down the deserted road, Ino following on her skateboard.

"What..."

Naruto couldn't even find it in him to finish his sentence. He felt strange, all over. He was confused and shocked and he didn't want to believe his girlfriend had just said and then done that... but he knew she had. Sakura always thought things through before making a move, she had planned this.

What had she meant him to do now?

She had just left him, he was alone. He should be distraught and heartbroken right now... or perhaps empty? But he didn't feel any of that, he was shocked at being uprooted so suddenly and also totally confused about her break-up explanation. What had she said...?

_"This isn't love!"_

She wasn't in love... was she ever? She didn't think he was either, so what kind of show had they been putting on these past years? The years had been comfortable with a steady girlfriend; never any danger, never a _serious_ argument, someone to share secrets with, to provide company and sexual release; friends first, then lovers. It had been good but was it as good as it gets? Was that what she was hinting at? Was there perhaps more to a relationship than stability?

Naruto looked over his shoulder at the door into the main house. Sasuke was in there and... he was alone.

"Sasuke..."

He didn't know what he was doing; his legs were carrying him across the garage, his hand was clutching at the doorknob. He stepped into the kitchen of the quiet Uchiha mansion, kicking off his shoes out of habit: Sasuke always insisted on it.

He moved slowly and silently through the house. He didn't announce his presence; he wasn't sure if he really wanted to see Sasuke and he definitely didn't know what he was going to say to him, perhaps something along the lines of:

'Hey Sasuke, my girlfriend who you never liked just dumped me and I know you find me annoying and told me to leave but I thought I'd come back and keep you company anyway!'

Naruto brought a hand to his face; this wasn't going to be pretty. He really shouldn't have entered the mansion without Sasuke's permission either (that was another of the Uchiha's house rules). He should probably just sneak out again while he had the chance but if Sasuke caught him making his escape he'd definitely chew him out. Naruto sighed, it was an art form; being in the company of Sasuke.

It was only when he approached the back lounge that he heard the first sign of life in the lonely old home. The gentle strumming of an acoustic guitar floated up from the basement where they always held band practice. Just as Naruto reached the top of the stairs the strumming stopped. Afraid he had been heard, Naruto froze. But a moment later the strumming began again, setting a steady rhythm with Sasuke's voice joining the guitar.

_"What if we could_

_Put our lives on_

_Hold and meet some_

_Where inside of the world_

_I would meet you_

_Would you meet me?"_

Naruto could almost hear Neji's voice: _"2,3,4..."_

They had performed this song at their last gig. It had been laden with emotion then to. Naruto could hear the two versions intertwine perfectly...

_"On a park bench_

_On a skyscrape_

_On a mountain_

_Oh yeah, whatever it takes_

_I would meet you_

_Would you meet me?"_

...Sasuke's voice contained all the emotion it had been lacking recently. It was heartfelt and honest and it sounded almost like he did on stage. But this performance was different; he wasn't on stage and he wasn't holding anything back. The lyrics were slowly sinking into Naruto...

_"I'm glad to say that we've met_

_But I'm sad to say that the circumstances weren't_

_On our side"_

...He was beginning to understand that indescribable flutter he had felt in his stomach when Sasuke had sung this song on stage. Naruto began to creep down the stairs as Sasuke continued to sing, unaware of his uninvited guest. Sasuke's voice washed over Naruto, deep, mellow and utterly hypnotic.

_"So go on_

_Go on be your own_

_Go on be your own star"_

Naruto's feet hit carpet and he saw the source of that enchanting voice. A head of spiky black hair and the back of a navy turtleneck revealed that Sasuke was sitting in the middle of a sheepskin rug with his back to the stairs. Naruto crept closer, he was vaguely surprised he hadn't been rattled by now, but Sasuke seemed completely absorbed in his song.

_"What if we could?_

_Where would we go?_

_If it felt right_

_Would you want me to know?_

_I would meet you_

_Would you meet me?"_

Naruto was right behind him now; if he stepped forward his feet would touch the rug. And yet still Sasuke hadn't noticed him. Naruto was certain now that he shouldn't leave Sasuke alone in this state, he could have been anyone sneaking into this house!

_"It's like a last chance_

_For a first dance_

_You're a sunrise_

_Can't somehow exist_

_I would meet you_

_Would you meet me?"_

That did it!

Naruto dropped to his knees behind Sasuke, throwing his arms around the boy's neck and shoulders. Sasuke jolted out of his trance and his guitar flew from his hands to hit the floor with a resounding 'thud' as his eyes snapped open.

"I would meet you," murmured Naruto, his mouth close to Sasuke's ear.

Sasuke's eyes grew wide when he recognised Naruto's voice, his gaze becoming unfocused as those words sunk in. He had been answered, Naruto had answered!

Warmth was pressing into his back through his clothes and his heart was trying to beat a path out of his body through his throat. His head hung forwards as he attempted to gain some control over his thoughts. His mind buzzed with a million questions and every one of them became unimportant when he felt Naruto nuzzle into his neck, hot breath fanning over his skin.

Sasuke turned his head to catch a glimpse of the person who had obviously not left the property as he had been ordered. Naruto was looking at him questioningly as if not sure he had done the right thing tonight. But before he could take it back a pale hand laced around the back of his neck and their lips made contact.

It was merely the chaste brush of Sasuke's warm lips on his but it was enough to make Naruto's heartbeat speed up and his breath catch. It was all the encouragement he needed to press his lips more firmly to Sasuke's.

It felt completely natural to wrap his arms tightly around that lithe body as Sasuke turned towards him. It felt wonderful to have those long, musically talented fingers tug at his hair and it made him dizzy when that mouth opened to his. He drowned himself in the taste of Sasuke. It could be compared to nothing he had felt before. Naruto was not at all new to kissing but with Sasuke everything was different. He felt the dominance of another boy as their tongues did battle and found immense pleasure in the challenge of making Sasuke surrender.

When they pulled away, panting, Naruto had somehow ended up on top of Sasuke whose hair fanned out on the rug like a dark halo. Naruto took a deep breath that he desperately needed, as he took in the sight of the pale Uchiha beneath him. Sasuke was always so cold but now he had lowered his barriers just slightly and it made him the most beautiful person Naruto had ever seen. He wondered what it would be like to make Sasuke lose all control. Sasuke's chest rose and fell as he gazed up at Naruto and Naruto found that he had been wrong; those eyes weren't _almost_ alluring they were _incredibly_ alluring; so dark and currently dilated in the heat of their kisses.

"Why did you come back?" asked Sasuke in a voice that was barely a whisper, he mentally cursed himself for appearing so weak.

"I... didn't want you to be alone," Naruto answered him honestly. "You don't have to be alone anymore."

There was a promise in his voice and Sasuke braced himself to ask the obvious question. "What about Sakura?"

"She won't be alone either," Naruto told him as he rolled off of the other to lie next to him.

"You mean... she cheated on you?" asked Sasuke, leaning on his elbow to get a better look at Naruto.

"Yeah I guess she sort of did," Naruto admitted with a sheepish smile.

"So you're on the rebound?" Sasuke felt his heart sink.

"What? No! I'm not on the rebound," Naruto said quickly, sitting up again. "Look it's hard to explain. Sakura had some choice words for me tonight and she helped open my eyes a bit. Our relationship... well it was all a bit of a sham really. She knew it as soon as she found someone else and... I know it too now."

Sasuke gave him a sceptical look, "You're confusing."

"So are you," retorted Naruto, letting himself fall back down on the rug. "But she's happy and so am I. She told me she wasn't in love and I don't think I ever was either. I don't know how to explain it but I think I've always had more of a connection with you than her, ever since I first met you. Sakura and me, our relationship... it was like... getting married for tax purposes," he explained, waving his arms around to emphasise what a huge sham it had been.

Sasuke nodded, he thought he understood what Naruto was getting at but he couldn't be bothered to question it anymore. Instead he lay back down, this time placing his head on Naruto's chest so he could hear his steady heartbeat. It was comforting to know someone was here and the fact that it was Naruto made him feel as though something was warming him from the inside out.

"So... who's Sakura's new boyfriend?"

There was a long pause before Naruto gave a nervous chuckle, "Actually... I think its Ino."

Sasuke lifted his head enough for Naruto to see his incredulous expression, "She left you for a girl?"

"Ahuh."

"Wow," said Sasuke emphatically.

"Shut it, teme! It's kinda fitting since I'm now here with a guy."

The corner of Sasuke's mouth tilted up in a half smile. "True," he said before settling back down on Naruto's chest as he felt a strong arm wrap around his back.

As they lay there, comforted purely by each others presence, Naruto thought he must be the only person who ever needed to thank his girlfriend for breaking up with him.


End file.
